‘He was covered in blood’ – man seen asking for help before woman’s body found in Bournemouth

A MAN covered in blood ran into a hotel asking for help shortly before the body of a young woman was found in a block of flats in Bournemouth town centre on Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday, police officers and crime scene investigators continued their investigation following the death of a woman, believed to be a foreign student in her early twenties, at a residential property in St Michael’s Road close to the junction to Purbeck Road.

Staff at the Manchester Hotel, which is around 15 feet from the building in which the body was found, said a young man who had blood on his clothes came to the hotel asking for the staff to call the police.

Ronald Dangpas a receptionist at the hotel who was not on duty at the time of the incident, said: “It was our receptionist that called the police.

“A man came in and he was covered in blood.

“I was not here at the time but they said there was blood all over his body.

“He didn’t speak very good English but just kept saying police.”

Ambulance personnel scrambled to the scene at around 12.30pm and requested police officers to attend. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene but it is not yet known how she died.

Yesterday, a spokesman from Dorset Police said the woman had not yet been formally identified and next of kin had not been informed.

On Sunday night a 58-year-old man from Bourne-mouth was arrested on suspicion of murder and is helping police with their enquiries.

Meanwhile officers are continuing to appeal for anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Inspector Stewart Balmer, of the Major Crime Investigations Team, said: “A murder investigation has been launched and is in its early stages.

“If anyone has any information I urge them to call Dorset Police at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Community shock at events

RESIDENT Gareth Robinson said everyone had been left shocked by the news.

“The first I heard was at 12.30 when we saw the ambulance at the junction.

“We left our house at one and saw the whole area had been cordoned off.

“When I found it was an alleged murder I just couldn’t believe it.

“It’s shocking to find something like this on your doorstep.”

Stuart Ridley, owner of the Croydon Hotel, which is next door to the flats, said the news had shocked the local community. “No one heard anything until the emergency services came,” he said.

“Our guests didn’t see anything at all.”

Describing the incident as “very out of the ordinary” Mr Ridley added: “It’s a lovely place. It’s usually very safe.”